Ahead of Arsenal’s crucial Champions League fixture against Porto, both Mikel Arteta and, club captain, Martin Ødegaard highlighted the ‘amazing squad unity’ and special bond that exists between the players after the Gunners went top of the Premier League on Saturday.
Arsenal now find themselves on an eight game winning streak after a series of dominant displays has seen them score 33 goals while conceding just four to supercharge their hopes of securing their first Premier League title since the 2004 Invincibles campaign.
The only game Arsenal have failed to win in the midst of that run has been the first leg tie of the round of 16, when a late strike from Porto winger Galeno saw Arsenal suffer a narrow defeat in the north-west of Portugal at the Estadio Do Dragao.
As a result, Arsenal are tasked with the challenge of overcoming a one-goal deficit to progress into their first Champions League quarter final in 14 years, and win their first round of 16 game since a 2-0 victory over AS Monaco in 2015 under now former manager, Arsene Wenger.
When previewing the game, both Arteta and Ødegaard were keen to describe the special bond that currently exists amongst the dressing room, with the club captain also going on to discuss how much his side have improved over the last year, how much he loves his role as club captain and how he wants to prove a point against Porto.
On the bond between the players
After Aaron Ramsdale made a potentially calamitous error at the end of the first half against Brentford, the Arsenal players described how they wanted to win the game for him, with the England goalkeeper enduring a difficult third season at the club after the arrival of David Raya who has quickly become the Gunners first choice shot stopper.
The Arsenal manager stressed how this demonstrates Arsenal’s special squad unity, he explained: “The unity around the players is amazing because it’s organic, it’s natural. They really feel for each other. And when they had opportunities to do something to make somebody look better or get them out of trouble, they are all ready to do it. And it was a great example, again, of that. And the quality of the team and people that we have within that.”
Ødegaard reiterated this view, saying: “I think the bond we have, you know, the team spirit and the team feeling we have is unbelievable. Yeah, it's the best I've seen in my life being in this team, you know.
“So, there we have something special for sure. I think you can see that on the pitch now as well, how much we enjoy playing together. I think you can see more and more how we understand each other on the pitch, how we move in relation to each other and all those things.”
He added: “So, I think that's a brilliant thing, you know, to be strong as a team. And I think you can see that on the pitch now as well.”
Since the 25-year-old's arrival to the Premier League in the summer of 2020, the former Real Madrid player has quickly become one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, and after being made club captain in July of 2022 has helped to take his side to new levels.
On his role as club captain, Ødegaard said: “Yeah, I love it. I mean it's an amazing team. It's an amazing team to be a part of. As I said here already, the group we have is very special. The bond we have, we're really together. And, of course, the football we're playing, I think, really suits myself and, of course, the other players we have."
He continued: “So, yeah, we love it. And we're doing well at the moment. But still, I feel like we can do a lot of things better and that's the mindset we have. So, it's a great team and a great club to be a part of.”
On how much his side have improved over the last year
Ødegaard also described how this Arsenal side have improved over the course of the last year, following on from last season’s disastrous end to the campaign when Arsenal sacrificed the title race to Manchester City after being eight points clear of the five time winners at one point.
The Norwegian midfielder believes his side have become a better team over the past year, while with the additions of Kai Havertz, Raya and Declan Rice have helped the club to go from strength to strength.
Arsenal’s captain said: “I think, first of all, we're a better team. Of course, we've made some good signings, but also the experience, what we learned last season, I think we've been using that in a good way going into this season. I feel like I've said that many times, I feel like that's what we've done the last few years. Missing out on the Champions League the year before, we came back stronger. And then last season, obviously, was a really tough end for all of us.
“But I think we've learned a good lesson and hopefully now, coming towards the end of the season, we can shine again. We'll show that and use it in a good way.”
On proving a point against Porto
Following on from Arsenal’s defeat to Porto, Ødegaard explained how the players quickly realised the things they failed to do well enough in Portugal, with the Gunners failing to record a single shot on target as they slumped to defeat.
The 25 year-old said: “I think we spoke about it a little bit already after the game, but we didn't play our best game. We weren't good enough on the ball. And we've looked at it. We've said all those things. And straight after the game, I think all the players, we just spoke together and knew what we had to do different already. But, yeah, as you say, it's the only game we didn't win now in this year.
“So I think that's enough motivation to come back and show a different side tomorrow. So we're all really, really ready for the game and hyped up. So it's going to be a good one.”
The away fixture to Porto is the anomaly in Arsenal’s otherwise perfect start to the calendar year, and Ødegaard wants to prove that his can play differently against the Portuguese giants this time around.
He said: “Every time you play, you want to prove something. I think, as you say, especially after what happened there and if you compare that game to the other games we played recently, it's, as you say, the one that stands out. But as I said, I think the feeling after the game was that we weren't good enough ourselves. And that's a good thing. We can change ourselves. And that's what we're going to try to do tomorrow. You know, we've looked at the game we played there. We all have the feeling that we have to do is different."
The skipper added: “We are so ready.”